1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a connector.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, there has been proposed a conductive member that achieves conduction between an earth pattern on a printed wiring board and a grounding conductor (see Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 2003-168510, Paragraphs 0001, 0015 to 0018, 0020, and 0021, FIGS. 2 and 4, and so forth). This conductive member will be described with reference FIGS. 19 to 21.
The conductive member, denoted by reference numeral 901, is formed by bending a thin metal plate, and comprises two joint portions 910, two side portions 920, and one contact portion 930.
Upper portions of the two substantially rectangular side portions 920 are integrally connected by two integral connection portions 950. The two joint portions 910 are formed by bending lower parts of the two side portions 920 inward substantially perpendicularly, respectively. Lower surfaces of the joint portions 910 form joint surfaces 910A which are soldered to a circuit pattern CP of a printed wiring board PWB.
A tongue piece 921 is formed such that it is bent inward substantially perpendicularly from a bordering end of one of the side portions 920. The contact portion 930 is formed such that it extends from a lower end 921A of the tongue piece 921. The contact portion 930 includes an arm portion 931 which is bent from the lower end 921A of the tongue piece 921 and extends obliquely upward, and a protruding portion 932 which is formed by being bent back from the arm portion 931 toward the opposite side of the joint portion 910. The protruding portion 932 is a portion which is brought into contact with a grounding conductor GC. The protruding portion 932 is substantially arc-shaped, and protrudes above the side portion 920. The integral connection portions 950 restrict end portions 932B of the protruding portion 932 from being displaced in a direction away from the joint portions 910.
The joint surfaces 910A of the joint portions 910 are soldered to the circuit pattern CP of the printed wiring board PWB, whereby the conductive member 901 is mounted on the printed wiring board PWB.
The printed wiring board PWB on which the conductive member 901 has been mounted is fixed to a predetermined location of the grounding conductor GC, such as a casing, whereby the protruding portion 932 of the contact portion 930 is brought into contact with the grounding conductor GC. At this time, the arm portion 931 and the like are elastically deformed, and the protruding portion 932 is moved in a direction toward the joint portions 910, and hence the protruding portion 932 is pressed against the surface of the grounding conductor GC by the returning force of the arm portion 931. As a consequence, the circuit pattern CP of the printed wiring board PWB is positively electrically connected to the grounding conductive GC.
As described above, the arm portion 931 which presses the protruding portion 932 against the grounding conductor GC has a simple shape which is bent from the lower end 921A of the tongue piece 921, and extends straight obliquely upward, and the length of the arm portion 931 which functions as a spring is short.
Therefore, when the circuit pattern CP of the printed wiring board PWB is electrically connected to the grounding conductor GC using the conductor member 901, the arm portion 931 is hard and is not smoothly moved.